No. 24 Rutgers women's lacrosse set to take on Monmouth, Army this week at home
The Rutgers women's lacrosse team will prepare for two games this week against Monmouth and Army. The Scarlet Knights (2-0, 0-0) secured a victory on the road against Georgetown in their last contest and will have home-field advantage for both of their games this week.
No. 24 Rutgers defeated the Hoyas (2-1, 0-0) 13-6 on Saturday, which helped the Knights secure a spot within the national women's lacrosse rankings.
On Wednesday, Rutgers will have its first game of the week against the Hawks (2-0, 0-0), who have also begun their season undefeated. The Knights have met with Monmouth 16 times since 2006 and have a win-loss record of 13-3.
Last season, Rutgers defeated the Hawks on the road 11-5. Graduate student midfielder Cassidy Spilis led her team, per usual, with 4 goals against Monmouth.
The Hawks have scored a total of 42 goals within their two games this season against Bryant and Fairleigh Dickinson. Last season, Monmouth concluded with 209 goals, surpassing the Knights, who totaled 171 goals.
Caroline Brennan was named Preseason All-CAA for the Hawks. The attacker leads her team this season with 12 goals and 14 points thus far.
Monmouth's season has started off on a high offensive note after winning both of its games with at least 20 goals scored, so Rutgers will be seeking to improve its record by playing a solid defensive game against the Hawks.
The Knights will host Monmouth at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening at SHI Stadium on Busch campus, and the matchup will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
Following its Wednesday game, Rutgers will face off against the Black Knights (0-3, 0-0) on Saturday.
After struggling to exhibit the offensive strengths needed in order to win games, Army has been demoted from the national rankings. The Black Knights enter their fourth game of the season and still have no victories.
The Knights and Army have only met twice in the program's history, with the Black Knights getting the upper hand last season with a 10–5 win.
Rutgers will earn the victory if it can generate the necessary offensive momentum, as Army is struggling to etch its name in the scoring sheet. This season, the Black Knights have scored just 27 goals, while their opponents have scored 43 goals.
Brigid Duffy will be a key player on the field, as she leads her team with 9 goals and 13 points. Allison Reilly sits below Duffy with 6 goals and 10 points.
Lindsey Serafine has been between the pipes the most for Army, with a 16.81 goals against average (GAA) accumulated so far this season. In two games started, senior goalkeeper Sophia Cardello has stopped 15 shots for the Knights and currently ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a GAA of 6.81.
Junior midfielder and attacker Victoria Goldrick is ranked fifth in the Big Ten in assists after dishing out passes on 4 goals against Georgetown last Saturday. With 203 goals, Spilis became the first player in Rutgers program history to surpass 200 in their respective career.
The Knights will meet with the Black Knights at 1 p.m. on Saturday at SHI Stadium with the game being broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
For more updates on the Rutgers women's lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on X.
